Chevron pays Utah $1.8 million settlement

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Chevron has paid Utah $1.8 million to settle potential state claims that it unlawfully received payments from a state fund to clean up leaky underground storage tanks at the same time that it had private insurance to cover such costs.

The state filed claims earlier this year in 3rd District Court against ConocoPhillips and BP Amoco for similar allegations.

State officials said they are trying to protect the state's Petroleum Storage Tank Fund, created by the Utah Legislature in 1989 to help gas stations meet the federal financial assurance requirements for underground storage tanks. The state is now seeking reimbursements of the PST Fund for money that oil companies were ineligible to receive.

"The PST Fund must be protected, and we are satisfied with how this issue [with Chevron] has been addressed," said Brent Everett, director of the Division of Environmental Response and Remediation. "Over the years, Chevron has demonstrated a desire to be a responsible corporate citizen."

Assistant Attorney General Paul McConkie said, "Utah is among several states seeking to recoup the state PST Fund monies paid for cleanups to oil companies who failed to disclose the existence of insurance."